Optically detected nuclear magnetic resonance of LiYF4:Eu3+in the ground electronic state7F0

Abstract

The optical-RF double-resonance technique has been used to study nuclear magnetic resonance in the ground electronic state of Eu3+ in LiYF4. This is the second host (YAlO3 being the first) for which such measurements have been made. The quadrupole interaction parameter P for YAlO3 and LiYF4 are found to be quite different. This demonstrates a substantial contribution to the quadrupole interaction from the surrounding ions. To a good approximation, mod PLat/P4f mod has a host-independent value of about three for Eu3+. This provides the first clear experimental test for the Edmonds (1963), and Blok and Shirley (1966) approach to Eu3+ quadrupole effects. From the low-magnetic-field studies the authors find the Eu3+ nuclear magnetic moment in a plane normal to the S4-axis quenched by 94%. This is the largest quenching observed so far. They have also observed Delta Iz=0 RF transitions of intensity comparable with the intensity of the Delta Iz=+or-1 transitions for this nearly axially symmetric host ( eta =0.048).